Electric hoist



Jan. 31, 1961 H. F. PARKER ETAL 2,969,954

ELECTRIC HOIST Filed Jan. 50, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. HUMPHREY E PA R/(ER and W/LL/AM H. DEVO/VSH/RE Jan. 31, 1961 H. F. PARKER ETAL 7 2,969,954

ELECTRIC HOIST Filed Jan. 30, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

INVENTORS. HUMPHREYE P4 R/(ER and ILL/AM H. DEVONSH/RE 7 ATTORNEYS.

H. F. PARKER ETAL 2,969,954

ELECTRIC HOIST 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 31, 1961 Filed Jan. 50, 1958 United States Patent F ELECTRIC norsr Humphrey Parker, Bulfalo, and William H. Devonsh1re, W rllramsville, N.Y., assignors to Columbus McKmnon Corporation, Tonawanda, N.Y.

Filed Jan. 30, 1958, Set. No. 712,196 7 Claims. (Cl. 254-168) This invention relates to motor driven chain hoists, and more particularly to improvements in the design of the body or frame components of hoists, for example of the general type shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,667,331.

One of the objects of the present invention is to prov1de in a hoist of the type referred to, a combination frame and component housing construction whereby to obtain at once a more compact overall hoist design, a stronger and more rugged frame, and an improved load support stress distribution throughout the assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved hoist as aforesaid, which is designed to comprise easily fabricated and assembled parts, which are structurally and functionally integrated in improved manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved electric chain hoist wherein the frame and motor components thereof are structurally inter-related so as t to provide the aforesaid features.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a chain hoist as aforesaid an improved load lift wheel mount and housing arrangement whereby the lift wheel sub-assembly may be installed and removed with improved facility such as for assembly and maintenance purposes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the specification hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a chain hoist incorporating features of the present invention;

Fig. 1A is a fragmentary view corresponding to Fig. 1 illustrating the mode of relative assembly of major components of the hoist;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the hoist of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on enlarged scale, taken along line IIIIII of Fig. 2, showing in phantom the mode of disassembly of the motor and lift wheel components for maintenance purposes; and

Fig. 4 is a section, on enlarged scale, taken along line IV--IV of Fig. 1.

As shown in Figs. 1, 1A of the drawing herewith for example, the invention may be embodied in a chain hoist comprising basically a frame component 10; a motor case 12; a gear housing part 14; a cover 16; a brake housing 17 accessory to the motor case 12. The frame part 10 comprises parallel vertically standing wall plates 20, 22 interconnected at their perimeters by means of a peripheral wall 24. Thus, the frame component 10 may readily be fabricated in the form of a weldment or a casting, if preferred. At its upper end the frame 10 is apertured to accommodate insertion of the lower end of a hanger bracket 26 which is firmly fixed thereto as by pins 27, 27 (Figs. 3, 4). At its upper end the bracket 26 connects by means of bolts 28 to side plates 2929 of a trolley hanger having wheels 30 arranged to run on an overhead rail as indicated at 32. However, it is to be understood that the bracket 26 may be provided to connect to any other form of hoist suspension device, such as a suspension hook or the like, as is well known in the art.

In accord with the present invention the electric motor lCe component of the hoist construction is housed in a generally cylindrical casing as indicated at 34, open at its inner end and closed at its outer end by the brake housing cover portion 17. At its outer end the housing 34 is provided with an end bell 38 formed with ears accommodating anchor bolts 39; the end bell and motor casing parts being so dimensioned that when the motor casing is slip-fitted into a circularly apertured portion 40 of the frame plate 20, the inner open end of the casing 34 abuts the frame plate 22 while the anchor bolts 39 bear against the end bell to hold the motor in the frame.

The plate 22 is bored and shouldered as indicated at 42 (Figs. 1A, 3) and the inner end of the motor casing 34 is shouldered as indicated at 43 (Fig. 1A) to permit the inner end of the casing 34 to seat in firmly held position on the plate 22 when the bolts 39 are threaded into tapped holes 44 in the plate 22 and drawn down to force the motor casing firmly against the plate 22. The motor output shaft 45 (Fig. 4) is thereby disposed to protrude through the apertured portion of the frame plate 22 for keyed engagement with the speed reduction gear train (not shown) such as is customarily employed to interconnect the motor drive shaft and the load lift wheel of the hoist as is illustrated at 46 herein (Figs. 3, 4). The gear housing and bearing support casing as illustrated at 14 is relatively assembled to the hoist frame 10 by means of bolts 48; it being understood that the hoist gear train is carried within the housing 14 as by bearing blocks 47 so that when the housing 14 is assembled relative the hoist frame 10 the mechanisms therein operatively interconnect the motor drive shaft 45 and the shaft 49 of the load lift wheel 46.

As shown in Fig. 3 the load lift wheel shaft 49 is journaled in bearings 50, 52 carried by the hoist frame plates 20, 22 respectively, with the load lift Wheel 46 disposed therebetween. Thus, it will be appreciated that the load carried by the load chain 55 training over the load lift wheel (Fig. 4) is centered between the hoist frame plates 20, 22 and is transmitted therethrough upwardly to the hoist support bracket 26 through the shortest possible paths and in such manner as to most efficiently transmit the load to the suspension device without strain upon the operative components of the hoist mechanism. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that by virtue of this construction there is achieved optimum compactness of the overall hoist construction in the motor axis direction, and a greatly improved overall balance. This is because the motor position straddles the vertical load lift plane instead of overhanging the latter at one side or the other, as in conventional hoists.

It is another feature of the invention that the load lift wheel-shaft unit is mounted within the mechanism so as to be more easily installed and removed therefrom, to facilitate assembly and maintenance operations. For example, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, one end of the lift wheel shaft 49 is spline-keyed to the hub of a spur gear 56 meshing with the speed reduction gear train hereinabove referred to; and the hub of the gear 56 is journaled in the bearing 52. Thus, the shaft may be slidably withdrawn from the gear and bearing units without disturbing the latter. To permit such withdrawal of the lift wheel shaft the bearing 50 is provided of such outside diameter as to require an aperture in the frame plate 20 large enough to pass the lift wheel 46. Furthermore, to permit this facile removal of the lift wheel unit the axial alignment thereof (Figs. 2, 4) is offset relative to the position of the motor component 12. Hence, by simply removing a cover plate 60, as by loosening screws 62, 63 which normally hold the cover plate over an apertured portion of the frame plate 20, the load lift wheel and bearing 50 may be manually withdrawn through the Patented Jan. 31, 1961 frame plate 20 without disturbing the inner bearing 52 and the gear train.

A chain stripper is preferably employed in the form of a plate 64 .of hardened metal carriedby means .of the lower bolt 63. in conjunction with an abutment portion 66 (Fig. 3) of the chain guide to be referred to herein-,

after; to insure stripping of the load chain 55 from the shown by broken lines at the left hand portionof Fig. 3,,

for replacement or other maintenance purposes] As indicated at 70 (Figs. 3, 4) a chain guide device maybe employed to encircle the lift chain 55, as shown forexample in U'-S. Patent 2,773,668; the chain guide 70 beingconveniently hung upon the upper screw, 62 holding the detachable cover 60.- The abutment mountinggthe stripper bar 64 comprises a, lower portion of the chain guide 70. The end cover- 16 is provided to enclose accessory components of the hoistimechanism such as electrical terminal connectors, relays, etc., and is detachably mounted upon the housingportion 14 by means .of screws 72. As indicated at 74 (Fig. 4) the v housing wall is conveniently apertured to provide a. tun-.

nel through which the motor and brake leads extend' from the motor to the interior of the compartment formed by the cover 16. 7

Whereas, only one form of the invention has been illus trated and described in detail hereinabove, it will be understood that various changes may. be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In an electric chain hoist, in combination, a frame component and a motor housing component, said frame component comprising essentially. parallel vertically disposed first and second structural side wall portions, interconnected by a perimetral wall portion, said side wall portions being circularly apertured in. mutual alignment, hoist suspension means connected to the upper ends of said side wail portions, said motor housing component comprising a generally cylindrically shaped housing containing a motor having an outputshaft, said motor housing being slip-fitted through the aperture of said first side wall portion and abutting at its inside end against said second side wall portion whereby saidmotor output shaft is-exposed at the aperture ofsaid second side wall portion, a load lift chain wheel disposed between said housing side walls and having a load lift shaft, means connecting said load lift wheel to said motor output shaft for being driven therefrom, said side walls being also apertured in oftset alignment relative to said motor housing component and mounting bearings therein journalling opposite ends of said load lift shaft, one of said bearings I being of an outside diameter greater than the overall diameter of said load lift wheel whereby said bearing and lift wheel are free to be axially displaced and disassembled from said frame component.

2. In an electric chain hoist, in combinatioma frame component and a motor component and a gear housing component, said frame component comprisingessem,

tially a pair of generally parallel vertically disposed first and. second structural side wall portions interconnected by a perimetral wall portion, said side wall portions being apertured in mutual alignment, hoist suspension means connected to the upper ends of said side wall portions, said motor component having an enclosing generally cylindrically shaped housing containing a motor having an output shaft, said motor component housing being slip-fitted through the aperture of said first side wall portion and abutting at its inside end against said second sidevv'all portion, and said gear housing component being 4 secured to said frame component adjacent said second side wall portion, whereby said motor output shaft extends through the aperture of said second side wall into said gear housing.

3. In an electric chain hoist, in combination, a frame component and a motor component, said frame component comprising essentially a pair of parallel vertically disposed first and second structural sidewall portions interconnected by a perimetral wall portion, hoist suspension means connected to the upper-,endsof said side wall portions-,- said motor --component having an enclo'singcylindrically shaped housing mounted upon said side wall portions and containinga motor, a, loadrlift chain wheel disposed between said housing side walls and having a load lift shaft, saidside walls being apertured in ofiset alignment relative to said motor component and mounting bearings therein journalling opposite ends of said load lift shaft, means providing a-drivingl-connection from said motor to saidload lift wheehone of said bear-" ings being of an outside diameter greater than the overall diameter of said; load lift wheel whereby said bearing anddift wheel are ,free to -beaxially displaced and dis assembled from said-frame component.

4. In anelectric chain hoist, in combination, a frame component and a motor component, said frame compo nentdncluding-apair of generally parallel vertically disposed structural sidewall portions, one of said side wall portions being aperturedto receive said motor component, hoist suspension meansconnected to the upper ends of said side wall portions, said motor component having an enclosing generally cylindrically shaped housing containi-ng a motor and slip-fitted through the aperture of said-one; of said sidewall portions and, abutting at its inside end againstthe other side wall portion, a load lift chain wheel disposed between said housing side walls and having'a load lift shaft, means providing a driving connection from said motor to said load lift wheel, said side wall portions being apertured in offset alignment relative to, said motor component and mounting bearings therein journalling opposite ends of said shaft, the hearing mounted on said one side wall portion being of an outside diameter greater than, that of said load lift wheel, whereby said one bearing and said lift wheel and shaft may be axially displaced and disassembled from said frame component-without interferenceby said motor component.

5. In an electric chain hoist, in combination,- a frame component and a motor component, said frame component comprising essentially a pair of vertically disposed structuralside wall portions to extend from one side of said frame component, hoist suspension means connected to the upper endsof said side wall portions, said motor component including a motor and being mounted upon said side wall portions, a load lift chain wheel disposed between said housing side walls and having a load lift shaft; said side wall portions being apertured in offset align-mentgrelative to said motor component and mounting bearingstherein journalling opposite ends of' said shaft,

meansproviding a driving connection from said motorhoist suspension means connected to, the-upper ends of I said wallportions, said, motor component including a motor and. being mounted within the aperture of said one of said side: wallportions, and abutting ;at its inside end :anothereof,saidgsidelwallyportions a lo ad;;lif t chain wheel having a load lift shaft, means providing a driving connection from said motor to said load lift wheel, said side wall portions mounting bearing journalling opposite ends of said shaft in a position axially offset from said motor component, the bearing mounted on said one side wall portion having an outside diameter greater than that of said load lift wheel, whereby said one bearing and said lift wheel and shaft may be axially displaced and disassembled from said frame component without interference by said motor component.

7. In an electric chain hoist, in combination, a frame component and a motor component, said frame component comprising a pair of spaced apart generally vertical first and second side wall portions joined by a perimetral wall portion, one of said side wall portions being apertured to receive said motor component, said motor component having an enclosing housing containing a motor and extending through said aperture and abutting the other of said side wall portions, and a load lift wheel journaled on said frame component side wall portions in offset relation to said motor component, said load lift wheel being connected to said motor for being driven thereby.

Schramm et al. Feb. 7, 1950 Robins et al. Jan. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,969,954 January 31 1961 Humphrey F.- Parker et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, lines 50 and 51, strike out "to extend from one side of said frame component' and insert the same after "portions" and before the comma in line 54, same column.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of August 1961.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

